Filling-thread controller



F. I ACIEY.y

FILLING THREAD coNTnoLLEn.

APPLICATION FILED AUG-25, 1919.

Patented Aug. 24, 1920.

Jn Venrloz w Ma? Afffy UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

FRED LACEY, 0F LOWELL, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR-TO DRAPER CORPORATION, OF Y HOPEDALE, MASSACHUSETTA CORPORATION 0F MAINE.

FILLING-THREAD CONTROLLER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Aug. 24, 1920.

Application filed August 1919. Serial No. 319,608.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, FRED LACEY, a citizen of the United States, residing at Lowell, in the `county of Middlesex and State of Massachusetts, have invented an Improvement in Filling-Thread Controllers, of which the following description, in connection with the accompanying drawings, is a specification, like characters on the drawings representing like parts.

jThe invention to be hereinafter described relates 'to fillingreplenishing` looms, and more particularly to the means for controlling or positioning the filling thread leading from the filling carrier toV be 'discharged or ejected from the shuttle when filling is to be replenished.

It has been proposed heretofore to partV or cut the filling between the cloth selvage and the filling carrier to be abandoned, and then carry' the end leading from the cloth selvage frontwardly'4 to position it for the action of the temple thread cutter. In practice it has been found convenient tomount the parter or thread cutter on the shuttle feeler, or to otherwise so arrange it that the parting and clamping means may be normally maintained in a front position and be' moved to a rear or operative position only on callY for filling replenishment. When the shuttle feeler and its accompanying aarter and clamp move frontwardly after having parted thelling, itcarries theend of the filling leading from the cloth'selvage frontwar'dly, Ybut the distance Ybetween the cloth selvage andA partei' and clamp'when the latter is in its rearward or operative position is less than when it is in its front position, consequently, some provision must be made lfor producing a sufficient vlength of thread between the cloth selvage andparter and clamp to prevent breaking of the thread between the cloth selvage and parter and clamp as the latter move frontwardly.

When the shuttle feeler and parter and clamp move to rearward position, the filling thread leading from the cloth selvage to the filling carrier in the shuttle is to be aban-Y doned, Vshouldvbe positioned for the action of the parter and clamp.

An important feature of the present ini vention, therefore, consists ofa filling thread positioning member having a yielding or; brush-like filling-engaging surface-'which 1sV positioned for engagement with the filling upon call for filling replenishment when the shuttle is in the replenishing boX.

In carrying this feature of the invention into practical effect, the positioning member extends transversely of the lay between the cloth selvage and shuttle-box, and is provided with a brush-like surface or bristles which project upwardly therefrom, but which are normally below the race or path of the shuttle, the effect being that the brushlike surface or bristles carried by the positioning member effectively hold the filling thread and move it to a position for engagement by the parter and clamp, and furtherserve to more effectively hold and position the filling thread, because any tension thereon serves to embed the thread further into the brush-like surface or bristles.

Other features of the invention and novel combinationl of parts will be described in addition to the above, and in connection with the accompanying drawing, which illustrates a good practical form rof the invention. 1 f

VIn the drawing:

Figure l is a section through a loom from front to rear, showing the present invention associated therewith, and illustrating only sufficient of the parts of the loom to make clear the construction and mode of operation;

Fig. 2 is a plan view showing the two positions of parts to be described, in rear and front positions by dotted and full lines respectively; and

F ig. 3 is a perspective detail on an enlarged scale, showing the filling thread pofor supporting the transverse or rock shaft brackety 8 secured to the loom frame. It is usual to hold the shaft 3 under spring tension, and to effect its movement clockwise against the tension of the spring. In thev present instance, the 'arm 4 has pivotally coi'inectedftliereto at 9 a lever 10the rear end 11 of which receives between it and the under surface of the arm 4, Vthe pin 5,! heretofore'i mentioned.; The front end ofthe 4lever 10` is connected to a spring 12 which v normally exerts a downward pull to maintain the 'arni 21 andflever'lO inengagement with the pin 5,*and holdfthe rock shaft 3 under spring tension. The Vconstruction thus farY described is of usual character and associated with the shuttle feeler (i is a filling thread cutter and clamp. In the present instance, the cutting member as indicated at 13 is pivotally mounted, at liupon the shuttle fee'ler 6. The clamping member A15 is located at the-side ofthe parte'r or cutting member 13 and is adapted to pinchor hold the Vend of the filling leading from-the cloth' selvage when it has been parted orl cut by the parter 18. The vrear end portion of the shuttle feeler 1s. provided with the 'usual entrance inclines 16 (Fig. 1) into which the filling leading from the cloth selvage to the shuttle should pass when the feeler and cutter and clamp move rearwardly to operative position. The shuttle feeler and its associated parter and clamp may be of any usual character, several forms o f these parts being now well known and understood by j positioning member comprises an arm 23 those skilled in the art.-

The lay 17 is mounted upon the usual swing arms ork swords 1S, and moves from a rearward to a frontward position on each beat-up' as usual,

Supported by from the loom frame or breast beam is 4the loom temple 19 having a temple thread cutter'20 which severs or cuts thevend ofthe filling -close to the cloth selvage.v rfhe lay-17 isprovided with a recess 21 extendingtransversely thereofacrossthe race or path'of the shuttle 22. The filling thread positioning member consists of a support en rwhichis mounted a yieldingililling4 engaging surface,

such support normally lying in the groove or recess 21 to position the filling eng'gaging surfacefbelow the plane 'of the race or path of the` shuttle. .In the present instance, the

which is guided for movement in an upwardly direction relative tothe race or'path of the shuttle byV means such as a guide o r suitable means, usually bearing Mise-cured, in the present instance, by screws 25 to the front surface of the lay. The arm 23 at its upper end has connected Vthereto the transversely extending portion portion 26 of the positioning member, and

are preferably inclined frontwardly, to thereby more effectively and unerringly hold the filling thread when it is engaged thereby. Owing Vto the yielding` nature of the filling engaging surface of the vpositioning member, no injury is done theshuttle should it strike ,or move in contact with such surface as it i's picked. ln such case the yieldingfsurface or bristles'27 will yield.

During the regularfweaving ope-ration, when a supply of filling is present in the shuttle, the positioning member .is in its lowered position, and the yielding surfacV or bristles arercarried downwardly below the race or shuttle path, lfillien, however, filling is to Ybe replenished, it is desirable tofraise the positioning member for engagement with the fillingrtoV (1) positionv the vfilling :fori the action of the parter and clamp, and (2) furnish slackibetween the cloth selvage and clamp .toperinit the latter to movethe kend ofthev filling frontwardly without danger of'breaking the filling between the cloth selvage and clamp, and positionit for thefaction ofthe temple thread cutter."V v s Y Y l The `shuttle 28 .is picked from thenonreplenishing side of the looml when the lay is nearv its back position as indicated by dotted lines in Figs. l and 2,l and the lling thread then'leads from the'cloth selvage on the side of the loom opposite. the replenishing boxiin an inclined direction as indicated by .the dotted lineV a (Fig. 2), the shuttle usually reaching the box as indicatedV by dotted lines while the shuttle is near its4 rear position or starting its frontward movement, Oncall for replenishment of filling, .it isfdesirable that the positioning member be raised before the lay reaches its front position, or vwhile itis near its rear position, in order to 'cause the filling thread a to be engaged by the yieldingfsurface or bristlesv near the frontportion-,of the lay, to` thereby form a bight or bend in the filling thread a betweenrthe clothselvage and'shut- Y tle,las the lay Vbeats up. and furnish suffi-- cient length*` of thread between the selvage and thread clamp to enable'the latter to move to front positionwithout breakingfthe thread.V

To thus raise the positioning membergthe arm23 thereof` is prolonged downwardly to furnish the rounded end portion 29, .and

the arm 4 leading. from the transverse or change shaft 3 is prolonged rearwardly as at 30 (Figs. l and 3) to provide a cam or inclined surface 3l over which the end 29 of the positioning membermay travel as the lay moves frontwardly.

During weaving with a working supply of filling present in the shuttle,the rearwardly extending portion 30 of the arm 4 is in its lower or dotted line position as indicated in Fig. l, below the path of movement of the end 29 of the thread positioning member. lNhen, however, a call for replenishment of filling occurs, the shaft 3 is turned clockwise, as usual, thereby lifting the end 3() of the arm 4 into the path of movement of, the end 29 of the positioning member, andi-as the lay starts frontwardly, the positioning member will be raised to project its yielding surface or bristles 27 above the race or path of the shuttle just after the shuttle has passed or been boxed. The effect is that the filling thread a will be engaged by the yielding surface or bristles 27 at a point near the front of the lay as at b (Figs. 3 and 2), and as the shut-- tle feeler moves rearwardly to feel for the shuttle, it will form a biglit or bend in the filling thread a between the cloth selvage and the shuttle, as indicated in Fig. 2. The yielding surface or bristles 27 thus raise or position the filling thread for the action of the parter and clamp, and provide sucient length of thread inthe filling between the cloth selvage and clamp to avoid breaking suoli thread between the cloth selvage and clamp, as the latter returns to its front positic-n, thereby positioning the intact filling for the action of the temple thread cutter and in case the bristles should for any reason be struck by the shuttle they will yield and not injure the shuttle. After replenishment of filling, the rock shaft 3 returns to its normal position to carry the arm 4 downwardly to dotted line position (Figs. l), and

the filling thread positioning member returns to its lower position.

By inclining the bristles 2T frontwardly as indicated in Figs. l and 3, the filling thread a will be depressed into the bristles more readily by any tension placed thereon due to the rearward movement of the shuttle feeler and thread. cutter and clamp.

That is claimed is l. In a filling replenishing loom, the combination of the lay and shuttle-boxes, a thread parter and clamp to part and clamp the old or spent filling between the cloth salvage and shuttle, means for moving the parter and clamp rearwardly to operative position on call for replenishment of filling and then frontwardly to position the end of the filling leading from the cloth selvage for the action of the temple thread cutter, a lling thread positioning device mounted on the layV and having a thread engaging surface that is Vformed of frontwardly inclined bristles which engage the filling thread and form a bend therein between the cloth selvage and thread partei' and clamp, and provide sufficient thread to permit the parter and clamp to carry the end of the filling frontwardly without breaking it.

2. In a filling replenishing loom, the combination of the lay and shuttle-boxes, a thread parter and clamp to part and clamp the old or spent filling between the cloth selvage and shuttle, means for moving the parter and clamp rearwardly to operative position on call for replenishment of filling and then frontwardly to position the end of the 'filling leading from the cloth selv'agc for the action of the temple thread cutter, a filling thread positioning device mounted on the lay between the cloth selvage and shuttleboX and having a thread engaging surface that is formed of frontwardly inclined bristles which engage the filling thread and form a bend therein between the cloth selvage and thread parter and clamp as the lay beats up, and provide suflicient thread to permit the parter and clamp to carry the end of the filling frontwardly without breaking it, and means for operatively positioning the positioning device on call foi replenishment of filling.

3. In a filling replenishing loom, the cornbination of a lay and shuttle-boxes, means for parting the old or spent filling between the cloth selvage and shuttle when the filling is to be replenished, a filling thread positioning member that is carried by the lay and has a brush-like surface for engaging and positioning the filling, and means foi' moving the said member to place the brush-like surface in position to engage the filling only when the filling is to be replenished.

4. In a filling replenishing loom, the combination of the lay and shuttle-boxes, a filling thread parter, a thread positioner that is mounted on the lay and has a series of bristles or brushes extending upwardly therefrom but normally below the surface of the race or shuttle path, and means operative on call for replenishment of filling to raise the bristles or brushes for engagement with the filling. Y

5. In a lling replenishing loom, the combination of the lay and shuttle-boxes, a filling thread parter, a thread positioner that extends in a direction transversely of the lay and has a seriesof bristles or brushes eX- tending upwardly therefrom adapted to yield by contact with the shuttle and avoid injury theretos and means for causing the bristles or brushes to engage the old or spent filling and place it in position for the thread parter when filling is to be replenished.

6. In a filling replenishing loom, the combination of the lay and shuttle-boxes, means -fer parting the vold or'spent filling between .selvage andrshuttle when replenishment of Y filling is to be effected.

y In a 4filling replenishing loonnthe com'- bination efthe lay and shuttle-box, means i'or parting the illing between thecloth and shuttle-boxtel. lfilling threadpositioning deyicethat is, mounted on the lay transversely ofthe race orvshuttle-box andhas a filling engaging 'surface Vformed by flexible projections extending therefrom, and means for causing the flexible. projections to V engage and position the filling for the action of the parting means en call for' replenishment of lay and shuttlefboxes, a brush-like surface f extending transversely of the lay .below the racefor shuttlepath, and means for causing vthe brushlike surface to engage the filling thread lnear thefront of the lay and'hold it .as the v-lay beats up to thereby form a bend in the lilling thread between the cloth selvagge and clamp andprovide sufficient thread toenable the'clamp to carry the end of the -iilling` frontwardly Without breaking it.

Y In testimony whereof, I have signed my name to this specification.

FRED LACE Y. 

